The Lovebird Handbook

As the new owner of six love birds, I find THE LOVE BIRD HANDBOOK by Vera Appleyard, indispensible. I now know that my little birds are a great choice of parrot(two toes back and two toes front and a `horned beak'). I like the colorful antics of the larger birds, but am afraid of the bigger parrots with their tough beaks. Love birds are funny little guys who figure things out pretty quickly and each of my love birds cost about one-fourth the amount I paid for my Senegal Parrot (who is a great little bird). After reading Appleyard's book, I figured out that although three of my `non-masked' love birds appear different from one another they are all variants of the peach-faced love bird from Central Africa. As they purportedly came from the same clutch this makes sense(the bird shop owner was a confused man, i.e. not sure what his partner/wife had done). Appleyard's book contains useful information on love bird diet and care as well as things to avoid. She also indcludes a section on "What not to do, ever." As all birds can become nippy, I find her advice timely, not only with regard to the lovebirds, but with regard to the other companion birds that live with me. I have been bitten on more than one occasion, and Appleyard has many useful suggestions about how to "nip" this behavior in the bud.I've kept birds for about two years and read dozens of books on parrots and parrot behavior, and can recommend this book to the novice. It contains useful introductory information found in other books and combines and distills useful ideas specifically about love birds. I was thinking of buying six parakeets (budgies) before I bought my love birds, but I am happy I read Appleyard's book and purchased love birds instead. They are just as colorful as parakeets, and they will live a lot longer. And, they are sweet little birds, very affectionate with each other when they aren't "beak fighting."...just like human kids.

It's factual and up to date! Vera Appleyard is very knowlegable about lovebirds and pet birds. This is a great book for first time owners and veteran Lovebird owners alike.

This book is a must for new lovebird owners, anyone considering buying a lovebird, owners who have problems/questions anyone interested in lovebirds at all! This book answered so many questions, has beautiful pictures, up to date info on training, feeding, breeding etc. etc. I highly recommend buying this book!

I bought this book because my experiences with lovebirds have never turned out the way I expected them to. The first time I got a lovebird the pet store said he would be tame after I handled him a few days. Although he calmed down a little, it always felt like I was starting from scratch each day. He was so scared I felt sorry for him. Well, I learned from someone that the bird should not have been that scared if he was really hand-fed and socialized. I got a second lovebird from a breeder a friend recommended. This bird was really sweet and totally what I wanted, but after about a year, this bird suddenly started biting me. He was still tame, but would have these bouts of aggression. I felt totally frustrated. I head about this book in an online discussion group and bought it immediately. I'm glad I did. The Lovebird Handbook really showed me what I did wrong with my second bird. I was letting this bird nibble on me all the time. I thought it was cute when he nibbled my ears. The book warns you about this, and says that nibbling can turn to biting when the bird gets older. Wish I'd known that a year ago! I have bought lovebird books before, but there was always something missing. I really enjoyed this book because it covers almost anything you can think of regarding lovebirds and it answered a lot of questions I never could get an answer to before. I had no idea I needed to be careful going to bird shows or bird stores because I could bring home feather dust with diseases! Now I wash my clothes and take a shower as soon as I get home! Since I got my lovebird I've also acquired a nanday conure, a cockatiel, and a Hahn's macaw. I believe the chapters on training lovebirds also have some excellent tips for working with my nanday. He has been screeching and driving me nuts, and after I read the section about accidentally encouraging screaming, I realized this is just what I have been doing--I basically taught my bird to scream all the time! I'm going to try what they suggest to stop this annoying noise. I also never put together an emergency kit before--never even thought about it. The book told me exactly what I needed and I stopped procrastinating. The other thing I really like about this book is the photography. What gorgeous lovebirds! I highly recommend this book to anyone who is thinking about getting a pet lovebird or has one already, or anyone who is thinking about breeding them and raising tame babies (especially the section about how hand-feeding is not enough for a really tame bird).

I just read this wonderful book and I have to say it's about time they found a person who really knows and loves lovebirds to write a book for new lovebird owners.Many of the lovebird books available are outdated - they contain information that no longer applies or is just plain wrong. This up-to-date book should be in EVERY lovebird owner's library. It covers purchasing, feeding, wing-clipping, breeding, handfeeding and even has a concise section on color genetics that won't scare away the "scientifically challenged". This book has excellant pictures - most are new (ever notice how some books just reuse the same old pictures in each "different" book? Not this one!)This book is refreshingly honest, accurate and detailed. Good for both beginning pet owners and breeders!